Review: Kylesa – From The Vaults, Vol. 1

Rated:

3/5

Although often highlighted as among crust metal’s elite, Kylesa sound best when stepping outside their comfort zone. And the best odds and sods collected here are those on which they stray from relentless shouting. The punkish “Paranoid Tempo” features the group’s singers attempting new-wavey vocals Fear Factory’s Burton C. Bell would approve of, and the gloomy grunge of “End Truth” shows a more restrained side of the Savannah screamers that they should exploit more. That said, the comp also shows them straying too far, as on their soulless cover of Pink Floyd’s “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” and the pointless four-minute closing drum jam. KORY GROW

‘Stray from relentless shouting’? They are a metal band with hardcore leanings. Relentless shouting is sort of in the job description, fella. It’s probably best to recruit reviewers who have at very least listened to some other music from the genre they are reviewing, if they can’t be bothered listening to any of that particular band’s back catalogue.